The Nocnitsa, a nightmare spirit

The Nocnitsa in Slavic mythology, is a nightmare spirit that also goes by the name kriksy.

The Nocnitsa is also present in Russian and Slovak folklore. She is known to torment children at night, and a stone with a hole in the center is said to be a protection from the Nocnitsa. Mothers in some regions will place a knife in their children’s cradles or draw a circle around the cradles with a knife for protection. This is possibly based on the belief that supernatural beings cannot touch iron.